Sunday, 27 October 2013

Stitches & Craft Show in Melbourne

We had an amazing extended weekend at Caulfield. It was the first time Rug Making was represented in the Guild area of the Stitches & Craft Show in Melbourne. Interest was constant, with our girls demonstrating for most of the day, every day.
Many, many people were surprised to see the rugs, especially Anne's Proggy rugs. "Oh I remember these!" was heard often. A nice memory.
Lots of folk remembered the day when they all sat around cutting or prodding or collecting rags for the rugs. 'Clippy' or 'Peggy' or 'Proddy' rugs, depending on where they were from. One gentleman said his mother covered the whole house's floors. One alone covering the entire lounge floor! He and his siblings had to cut the strips as well as muck in. Even the father's were involved.
Perhaps we'll find that some of the interested ladies will come and join our little group.
It was obvious that a spark was lit in people's imaginations and that's how we feel.
Demonstrating Proddy Rug all day over the weekend, on Hessian, I discovered how easy it was myself! I'd been using Latch-hook Canvas (an Op Shop find) and now I'll never use it again. Hessian is so much easier. No wonder I thought Proddy's a bit difficult. The Hessian is pliant and user friendly and I can't wait to get to it!
Don't forget to email us for your free 'Blossom' pattern! victorianrugmakers@gmail.com

This is the first day. All is neat and tidy. The vacuum cleaner man forgot our corner and by the second day, our space looked like our workrooms do after a day of serious hooking

Joy was inundated by people wanting to see how rug hooking was done. Some had a go, and with Joy's encouragement they were soon pulling loops like professionals

Lis, also spent time showing interested people the ropes, while Anne chatted about backings, hooks and wool

This lady shared her vision of adding a hooked border to her current nancy knitted rug project.